To write codes for different applications and to program the Arduino boards, we must require the Arduino IDE. The Arduino IDE is available on the Arduino website. Arduino is open source so the IDE is available for free. You can download the latest version of Arduino IDE for your operating system from here. To use the online IDE, online IDE is also available just an account needs to be created on the Arduino website. For information on how to use the online IDE, click here.
Refer to the topic Using Arduino IDE and Adding a new library to Arduino IDE and use it in the basics section of Arduino to learn how to use the Arduino IDE.
In order to use the Arduino boards with the Arduino IDE, we need to connect the board to the system on which the Arduino IDE is installed. The board should be connected using a USB cable designed for the Arduino board.
When the board is connected to the system through the USB cable, the device driver for Arduino installs automatically if the IDE is installed using the installer for Windows (XP to 10). Normally it fails to install automatically but sometimes the success depends on the windows that you are using. If the IDE is downloaded in the ZIP package, the driver will not install automatically when the board is connected. All the steps given below are needed to install the device driver with full detail and pictures.
In order to install the driver, the steps given below, need to be followed.
Install Driver software
Connect the board to the system (computer/laptop) using the USB cable. Windows will try to install the driver automatically but will fail. You will see the following pop-up on your screen of the computer.
STEP2.Open the control panel on your computer/laptop and go on to other devices. You will find here the Unknown Device as shown in the image below.
STEP3. Right-click on the Unknown device as given in the above figure and click on the Update Driver Software option as shown below.
STEP4. On completion of the above step, the Update Driver will show the same as in the picture given below. Select the Browse My Computer For Driver Software option as shown below.
STEP5 .Then select the location of the driver where u have saved
STEP6. Select the Include subfolders option.
Using the browse option, select the driver's folder from the location where you have saved IDE (unzipped IDE).
In the above-shown case, the IDE was unzipped in the D drive your location may differ. imzo[ed IDE had the folder name arduino-1.8.2. This folder consists of many folders including the driver's folder.
STEP7. Then click on the audio folder the driver will start to install
STEP8 .The above step will take some time. Once the driver has been installed successfully, you will see a window in the figure given below.
STEP9.Open the device manager again. the unknown device will not be there now. I will be there as Arduino (Here Arduino Uno) listed under Ports (COM and LPT).
Now open the IDE open some example sketch, or some new sketches, see under the tools tab. You will see the device installed in the Port option as u see in the diagram given below. Also, select the Arduino board that you are using.
The device driver has been installed successfully and the board is ready to be used. Just open the sketch you want to run or write an application sketch and upload it onto the board.